[60]Fullerene-Containing Polymers: What Happens to a Compound with 30 Double Bonds during Radical Polymerization?

Warren Ford

Oklahoma State University

Tuesday, October 24  Room & Time TBA

C60 reacts with radicals so fast that it should inhibit polymerization, and yet solutions of C60, monomer, and azo(bisisobutyronitrile) produce high molecular weight polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) containing C60 units. C60 reacts with both polymer radicals and the radicals from decomposition of the azo initiator. Structures of the products of these radical reactions of C60 and mechanisms for their formation will be presented.